Portable wire reel retaining apparatus

ABSTRACT

A retaining apparatus for a tool or accessory includes a first and second hanger each having a first and second end. The first ends each include an attachment member securable to a wearer. A leg strap includes a fastening device to allow the leg strap to be opened and closed and secured around the thigh of a wearer. The second ends of the hangers are attached to a leg strap. The first hanger is spaced from the second hanger along a length of the leg strap.

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/729,098 filed on Nov. 21, 2012, and U.S.application Ser. No. 29/449,889 filed Mar. 15, 2013 the entire contentsof both applications are incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for securing a tool oraccessory to a user. More particularly, the present invention relates toan apparatus for securing a wire reel to a wearer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During construction, it is desirable for a worker to have the tools andaccessories needed for a particular job in close reach or preferablysecured to the worker. Typically, in such cases, a worker will wear atool belt including one or more pouches for holding tools.

In one form of construction, specifically working with reinforcing bar,one common piece of apparatus needed by a worker is a wire reel whichholds a spool of wire used in order to tie reinforcing bar together.These reels typically include a generally round structure having adiameter of several inches. A wire reel may include attachments tosecure to a belt around the worker's waist. However, because of the sizeof the wire reel, it tends to dig into the side or ribs of the wearerand limits freedom of movement.

In addition, during various construction jobs, it is desirable, orrequired, to wear a safety harness in order to prevent falls. Suchharnesses typically include straps which go around the waist and caninterfere with the wearing of a wire reel.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an apparatus for retaining awire reel on a wearer which allows for freedom of movement and permitsother devices to be worn.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a retaining apparatus for a tool oraccessory which includes a first and second hanger each having a firstand second end. The first ends each include an attachment membersecurable to a wearer. A leg strap includes a fastening device to allowthe leg strap to be opened and closed and secured around the thigh of awearer. The second ends of the hangers are attached to a leg strap. Thefirst hanger is spaced from the second hanger along a length of the legstrap.

The present disclosure also provides a retaining apparatus for a wirereel including a first hanger having a first and second end. The firstend includes an attachment member securable to a belt of a wearer. Thehanger strap is securable to a wire reel. A leg strap is adapted to beremovably secured around a leg of a wearer. The second end of the firsthanger strap is connected to the leg strap. The leg strap includes afastening device to allow the leg strap to be opened and closed andsecured around the leg of a wearer. The first hanger strap has a lengthsuch that the wire reel is secured a distance D below the belt of thewearer.

The present disclosure also provides a portable wire reel retainingapparatus including a wire reel having a housing for securing therein aspool of wire. The housing has a rear side including a pair of spacedslots. A retaining device includes a first hanger, having a first andsecond end, and the first end is securable to a wearer. The first hangerextends through at least one of the wire reel slots. A leg strap issecurable to the second end of the hanger strap, the leg strap having afastening device for removably securing the leg strap to the thigh of awearer, and wherein the first hanger strap has a length such that thewire reel is secured a distance D below a waist of the wearer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the wire reel retaining apparatus secured toan individual.

FIGS. 2 is a front view of the wire reel retaining apparatus secured toa wire reel with a portion of the wire reel removed.

FIG. 3 is a back side view of the wire reel retaining apparatus securedto a wire reel.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are side views of the wire reel retaining apparatussecured to a wire reel.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are top views of the wire reel retaining apparatus securedto a wire reel.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the wire reel retaining apparatus unsecuredto a wire reel and with a leg strap in an open condition.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the wire reel retaining apparatus unsecuredto a wire reel and with a leg strap in a closed condition.

FIG. 10 is a back side view of an alternative embodiment of a wire reelretaining apparatus secured to a wire reel and a waist belt.

FIG. 11 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention including a pad and showing a wire reel in phantom.

FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of thewire reel retaining apparatus with the wire reel and waist belt shown inphantom.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the wire reel retaining apparatus of FIG.12.

FIG. 14 is a back perspective view of the wire reel retaining apparatusof FIG. 12

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention provides aportable retaining apparatus 10 for securing a tool or accessory such asa wire reel 12 to a user 14. The retaining apparatus 10 allows the toolor accessory to be carried by the user around a job site without the useof their hands.

The retaining apparatus 10 includes one or more hangers 16. The hangers16 may be securable to a wearer for example a wearer's waist belt 20.However, it is also contemplated that the hangers 16 may be attachableto other elements of the wearer or their clothing. Each belt hanger 16may be a pliable piece of material, such as a strap, including a firstend 18 having a belt attachment device 22. The belt attachment device 22may include a loop in which a belt is inserted. The belt hangers 16 maybe formed of a nylon material or formed of leather or synthetic leatheror other type of material known in the art for making straps orstrap-like devices. The loop may be formed by overlapping the hangermaterial and stitching, or otherwise fixing the end to the hangermaterial. Alternatively, the attachment device 22 may be a clip or abuckled device which would allow the belt hanger 16 to be secured andremoved from the belt 20 without the wearer having to remove their belt.

The belt hangers 16 may be formed as a fixed length or may have anadjustment means such that the length of the belt hangers may beadjusted. It is contemplated that the length of the belt hangers may beset to about 7 to 12 inches although other lengths could be selected.

The belt hanger second end 24 may be secured to a leg strap 26 which issecurable around the thigh or upper portion of the wearer's leg. Thebelt hanger second end 24 may have a leg strap securement device 28including a loop through which the leg strap 26 may extend therethrough. In this way, the leg strap 26 may be slid through the belthangers 16 for attachment thereto. Alternatively, the securement of thebelt hangers 16 to the leg strap may be by way of stitching 25 orotherwise fixedly securing the belt hanger second end 24 to the legstrap 26 as shown in FIGS. 12-14. In this embodiment, the belt hangersare positionally fixed on the leg strap. The leg strap securement device28 may alternatively include a buckle (not shown) secured to acomplimentary buckle component secured to the strap 26 or a clip suchthat the leg strap could be removed from the belt hangers withoutundoing the leg strap.

The leg strap 26 may extend through the leg strap securement devices 28of the belt hangers and also through the tool or accessory 12 as shownin FIGS. 3-5. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-7, the leg strap 26extends through slots 30 in the back side of a wire reel. The slots 30may be formed by raised portions extending from the back of the wirereel. Accordingly, the leg strap 26 can be used to further secure thewire reel 12 to the user.

The leg strap 26 may include buckles or other fastening device 32 at theends which allow the strap to be secured around the upper portion of theleg of a wearer, as shown in FIG. 1. The fastening device 32 may includecomplementary side or center release buckle components 32 a, 32 b of atype known in the art as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The leg strap 26 mayalso include an adjustment device 34 of a type known in the art in orderto allow the leg strap to be loosened or tightened around one's leg. Theadjustment device 34 may be part of the fastening device 32 as shown inFIG. 3. The adjustment device may be a strap buckle clip that allows thelength of the strap to be adjusted. A tri glide 35, shown in FIG. 12 mayalso be used to aid in the adjustment of the strap length.

The leg strap 26 may be formed of a nylon material or formed of leather,synthetic leather or other type of material known in the art for makingstraps and strap-like devices. The leg strap 26 may also be formed ofmultiple layers of strapping material 27 a and 27 b secured togethersuch as by stitching. The strapping material may extend over the entirelength or only over a portion of the length as shown in FIGS. 2 and 12.First strapping 27 a may extend the entire length of the leg strap andhave the fastening device components 32 a and 32 b secured to the endsthereof. The second strapping 27 b is disposed between the firststrapping 27 a and a wearer. The second strapping 27 b may be wider thanthe first strapping 27 a and may only extend over a portion of the legstrap. The wider strapping provides increased comfort for the wearer.

When secured to a wearer as shown in FIG. 1, the belt hangers 16 aresecured to a belt 20 worn by the wearer. The second end of the belthangers are secured to the leg strap. Accordingly, the leg strap isspaced a distance from the belt which is worn around the wearer's waist.The leg strap 26 is also attached to the wire reel 12. Therefore, thewire reel depends downwardly from the wearer's belt and waist a distanceD (FIGS. 1 and 12) due to the length of the belt hangers 16. Thedistance D is from the belt line, or waist, of a wearer to the top thewire reel. Accordingly, when the wire reel retaining apparatus 10 issecured to a wearer, the wire reel 12 is located on the outer portion ofthe outer thigh below and away from the hip/waist area. This positiongives the wearer significant increased freedom of movement. In addition,by locating the wire reel below the waist, it is located at a naturalposition where one's hand would fall making for easy access to the wireheld within the wire reel 12.

With reference to FIG. 2, in one embodiment of the present invention,the tool or accessory is a wire reel 12 of a type known in the artincluding an outer housing 36 and an inner spool 38. The spool 38 mayinclude a length of wire 40 such as the type used for securingreinforcing bar together. The spool 38 is rotatably secured in thehousing 36 such that it spins to permit a user to remove wire from thespool 38. The outer housing 36 includes an opening 42 therein in orderto allow the user access to the wire 40 and remove it from the spool 38.

While the retaining apparatus 10 of the present invention is shownsecuring a wire reel to a user, it is within the contemplation of thepresent invention that the retaining apparatus could be used to secureother tools, accessories, or devices for holding tools, such as pouches.

With the securement apparatus 10 attaching the tool 12 to the wearer,the tool is securely held in place. Therefore, the user can freelymaneuver around a work site without the tool coming loose or interferingwith the wearer's movement.

In addition, the leg strap 26 may include auxiliary tool holders 50(FIGS. 4 and 12) in the form of loops sewn into the leg strap. Theseallow for pliers, screwdrivers or other tools to be secured to a user.The tool holders 50 may be formed by stitching an undulating loopedportion of first strapping 27 a to a relatively straight portion of thesecond strapping 27 b. The tool holders may be disposed between the twohangers 16.

With reference to FIGS. 3-7, in order to attach the retaining apparatus10 to the tool, shown in the Figures as a wire reel, a user may insertone end of the leg strap 26 a through one of the slots 30 in the backside of the wire reel and pull it through. The other end of the legstrap 26 b may then be inserted into the other slot 30 in the back ofthe wire reel and pulled through. In this embodiment, the slots 30 maybe aligned in a generally horizontal orientation. One of the belthangers 16 a may be disposed between the two slots 30 such that theweight of the wire reel 12 is directly supported by one of the belthangers 16 as shown in FIGS. 3-7. The other belt hanger 16 b may be slidonto another end of the strap such that it is spaced from the first belthanger 16 a. The back side of the wire reel will then lie against thewearer's thigh. The leg strap may then be placed in the closed conditionaround the wearer's leg by way of fastening device 32. The strap maythen be adjusted.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12-14, the one end of the leg strap 26 bmay be inserted though the slots 30 and the belt hanger 16 a may befolded and inserted though one of the slots. Alternatively, leg strapend 26 b may be inserted through one slot 30, and the other end 26 a andhanger 16 b may be inserted through the other slot. This leaves hanger16 a disposed between the slots 30 aligned in a generally horizontalorientation as shown in FIG. 12. Accordingly, one belt hanger 16 a willbe positioned between the slots 30 and the other belt hanger 16 b willbe disposed beyond and outside of the wire reel slots 30.

In an alternative embodiment as shown in FIG. 10, the securement device10 may include a single belt hanger 16. The belt hanger 16 extendsthrough both of the wire reel slots 30. In this embodiment, the slots 30are aligned in a generally vertical orientation. The user's belt 20 isattached to the belt attachment device 22 and the leg strap 26 attachesto the leg strap securement device 28. In this embodiment, the wire reel12 may be positioned with the opening 42 facing upwardly or downwardlyas desired by the user.

In a further alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the securementdevice 60 may include a pad 62 disposed between the wire reel 12 and thewearer. When the wire reel 12 is secured to the wearer, it can getpushed into the leg during use. In order to increase the comfort for thewearer, the pad 62 may be secured to the back side, or wearer's side ofthe wire reel. The pad 62 may be formed of a piece of leather or foam orother resilient or padded material. The pad 62 can be formed in avariety of shapes and sizes.

The pad 62 may be secured to a wearer's belt by a belt attachment device64. The belt attachment device 64 may be in the form of a strap endingin a loop 66, clip or other device for attaching to a belt of strap onthe user. In FIG. 11, a loop 66 is shown. The belt attachment device 64may, at one end, be sewn to or otherwise attached to a top portion ofthe pad 62. The other end may include the loop 66. The bottom of the padmay have secured thereto a leg strap 68. This leg strap 68 may similarto the leg straps described above and end in a fastening device 32 suchas complementary side or center release buckle components, for joiningthe two ends of the strap together. This strap may be adjustable inlength to comfortably secure it to the wearer's thigh. The leg strap 68may be fixedly secured to the bottom of the pad 62 by rivets 70,stitches of other connecting devices and methods as known in the art.

A wire reel attachment device 72 may be fixedly secured to the padbetween the leg strap 68 and the belt attachment device 64. The wirereel attachment device 72 may include a strap that is insertable in theslots 30 in the back of the wire reel 12. The wire reel attachmentdevice 72 may end in a securement device 73 that joins and secures theends to retain the wire reel onto the pad. The securement device 73 maybe a clasp, snap fastener, hook and loop or other device known in theart. The wire reel attachment device 72 may be fixedly secured to thepad 62 by stitches 74, rivets of other connecting devices and methods asknown in the art. In one embodiment, the wire reel attachment device 72may be orientated to extend thought the slots 30 when they are alignedin a generally horizontal orientation. In an alternative embodiment (notshown), the wire reel attachment device 72 may be orientated to extendthought the slots 30 when they are aligned in a generally verticalorientation. For example, in this alternative embodiment, the wire reelattachment device 72 could be orientated 90 degrees from the orientationshown in FIG. 11.

The pad 62 may be secured to the wearer's belt by the belt attachmentdevice 64 and thigh with the leg strap 68. The wire reel attachmentdevice 72 may face away from the wearer. The wire reel 12 may then beattached to the pad 62 by the wire reel attachment device 72. The paddistributes and/or absorbs impacts to the wire reel 12, therebyprotecting the wearer from the back side of the wire reel, thusproviding a level of comfort for the wearer.

It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and otherfeatures and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirablycombined into many other different systems or applications. It will alsobe appreciated that various presently unforeseen or unanticipatedalternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may besubsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended tobe encompassed by the disclosed embodiments and the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A retaining apparatus for a tool or accessorycomprising: a first and second hanger each having a first and secondend, the first ends each including an attachment member securable to awearer; and a leg strap including a fastening device to allow the legstrap to be opened and closed and secured around the thigh of a wearer,the second ends of the hangers being attached to a leg strap, and thefirst hanger being spaced from the second hanger along a length of theleg strap.
 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the secondends of the first and second hangers each include a loop formed therein,the loop receiving the leg strap, wherein the position of the first andsecond hangers are adjustable along the length of the leg strap.
 3. Theapparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the second ends of the firstand second hangers are fixedly secured to the leg strap.
 4. Theapparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the leg strap is formed of afirst and second strap secured together.
 5. The apparatus as defined inclaim 4, wherein the first strap has a longitudinal extent extendingbeyond a longitudinal extent of the second strap, the first strap havingends to which complementary portions of the fastening device areattached.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the firststrap is thinner than the second strap.
 7. The apparatus as defined inclaim 4, wherein the first and second straps are formed of pliablematerial.
 8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first andsecond hangers are straps formed of pliable material.
 9. The apparatusas defined in claim 1, wherein the length of the first and secondhangers is the same.
 10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, whereinthe first and second hangers have a length of generally 7 to 12 inches.11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the leg strap includesthereon an auxiliary tool holder disposed thereon for removably securingone or more tools to the leg strap.
 12. The apparatus as defined inclaim 11, wherein the auxiliary tool holder includes a plurality ofloops disposed between the first and second hangers.
 13. A retainingapparatus for a wire reel comprising: a first hanger strap having afirst and second end, the first end including an attachment membersecurable to a belt of a wearer, the hanger strap being securable to awire reel; and a leg strap adapted to be removably secured around a legof a wearer, the second end of the first hanger strap being connected tothe leg strap, and the leg strap including a fastening device to allowthe leg strap to be opened and closed and secured around the leg of awearer, wherein the first hanger strap has a length such that the wirereel is secured a distance D below the belt of the wearer.
 14. Theapparatus as defined in claim 13, further including a second hangerstrap having a first and second end, the first end including anattachment member securable to the belt of the wearer and the second endbeing connected to the leg strap at a position spaced from the firsthanger strap.
 15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein thesecond ends of the first and second hanger straps each include a loopformed therein, the loops receiving the leg strap, wherein the positionof the first and second hanger straps are adjustable along the length ofthe leg strap.
 16. The apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein thesecond ends of the first and second hanger straps are fixedly secured tothe leg strap.
 17. The device as defined in claim 13, further includinga pad positionable between the wire reel and the wearer, and the firsthanger strap is secured to the pad at a first position and the leg strapis secured to the pad at a second position, and the wire reel issecurable to the pad at a location between the first and secondpositions.
 18. A portable wire reel retaining apparatus comprising: awire reel having a housing for securing therein a spool of wire, thehousing having a rear side including a pair of spaced slots; a retainingdevice including a hanger, having a first and second end, the first endbeing securable to a wearer, the hanger extending through at least oneof the wire reel slots; and a leg strap securable to the second end ofthe hanger, the leg strap having a fastening device for removablysecuring the leg strap to the thigh of a wearer, and wherein the hangerhas a length such that the wire reel is secured a distance D below awaist of the wearer.
 19. The device as defined in claim 18, wherein thehanger first end includes a loop adapted to receive a waist belt of awearer.
 20. The device as defined in claim 18, further including a paddisposed between the wire reel and the wearer.